Hellsing: Ruling
by Tina senpai
Summary: Sometimes, secrets that lurk in the past should remain in the past. Maxwell' was never meant to come out. Especially not to the one he didn't want to hurt. MxY
1. Within

~Hellsing: Ruling~

~Maxwell x Yumie/Yumiko~

~Chapter 1: Within~

Maxwell rubbed his forehead in frustration as he blocked out the sunlight streaming in from the window. He hated travelling. Fact. He didn't mind the occasional trip by car from the Vatican but when he had to spend a tedious amount of time on a plane, next to a man who snored intolerably loudly and then have to get a coach to your 'desired' destination, he would rather have the stigmata through his wrists than go through such an ordeal.

Unfortunately, a promised trip that he'd been putting off for a full year already was due and he found he couldn't back out of it.

He'd arrived at the orphanage, a place he never felt he wanted to be near again once he'd left. The same orphanage he was left at because of who he was. Because of what he was.

The Bastard son of a mistress.

He'd always been told by Anderson he was more than that and the only way he could prove that was by becoming someone. So he'd done it. He became a creator. He was the head of the Section XIII, Iscariot, in charge of some of the Vatican' most deadly 'agents of God'.

A knock at his temporary office door and he sighed at the interruption of his peace.

"Come in." He straightened up in his seat and clasped his hands together over his lap, his elbow' resting on either side of his armchair.

The door opened and in stepped a timid little creature he instantly recognised, his heart leaping at the sight before him. Yumiko had not changed much, only her hair slightly shorter.

"Ciao." She turned around and smiled warmly at him, greeting him like the old friend she felt he was. Truth be told, even through he had tried to distance himself and claim not to need anyone, Yumiko, Heinkel and Anderson where the three people who knew him best.

"Ciao sister." He replied formally, keeping his face void of any emotion.

"Il molto tempo nessun vede." Yumiko stepped forward and timidly had hold of each of her hands in front of her.

Maxwell' heart gave a small jolt as he registered her body moving towards the desk, his will restraining his blush, but he still couldn't stop the small smile that appeared on his face.

"You've been practising." He looked up at her eyes and watched her blush a little more.

"Yes...I know 'Hello', 'Long time no see' and...goodbye."

Both laughed at her little joke, Yumiko tilting her head down as she snorted and Enrico' eyes crinkling shut. He did enjoy her company, though he would never admit it, especially to her.

"I urm," Yumiko turned her head back up at him and tucked away a long strand of fringe that had escaped her habit, "I...was with Heinkel and she told me you'd arrived. I was wondering if...you would like some tea? Or coffee? Or whatever you prefer. I don't think you would like to drink chamomile tea like you used to, would you?" Yumiko chuckled again, her memories flicking back to the past incidents with him and how he would always ask for chamomile tea.

"You remembered." Maxwell looked at her, astounded that she remembered such a detail.

"I...yes. You urm," Yumiko giggled again and blushed, "you always demanded it. You said you couldn't think clearly without it. Heinkel...aheh, Heinkel used to say that it was the only thing you could have because she believed you thought it made you look more grown up."

"Bloody woman. Is she still dressing in those damned clothes?" Maxwell just pouted and sat back in his seat, looking ready to pull a major fit.

"You know she'd never work as a nun. She still flips my skirt at every turn!" Yumiko folded her arms around her chest and blushed, mimicking Maxwell' pout.

"Yes...yes well," Maxwell tried to get the memory of Yumiko' pink panties out of his head and changed the subject, "chamomile. Chamomile tea would be lovely. Thank you sister."

"Very well," Yumiko smiled and bowed her head slightly, turning to walk out, but spinning back around at the last second, "ginger nut or chocolate?"

"Pardon?" Maxwell was a little shocked at such an absurd and seemingly random question.

"A ginger nut or a chocolate biscuit? You always have one. Or two. Either way I don't think I've ever given you a cup of tea without one."

Maxwell turned away blushing, pretending to grab some paperwork from the drawer in his table.

"Urm...yes, yes that's fine."

"Ok. I'll be back soon." She opened the door and nodded her head again courteously, before shutting the door behind her.

Maxwell took a big sigh of relief, slumping back down in his chair and his face in his hands.

Out of all the people he didn't want to see, Yumiko was one of them. He'd always made it his best to send her on missions and when she was posted with Heinkel to the orphanage with Anderson, Maxwell felt a weight lifted off his shoulder'. But now, it would be a lot more difficult to keep his distance from her when they had too spend a month or so together in the same building that contained so much history for them. Some, he wished to forget.

Meanwhile...

Yumiko walked away from Maxwell' office door, sighing in frustration and rubbing the bridge of her nose.

He hated her.

She knew it.

She'd always known it, but thought it was her own paranoia. She knew he just put up with her because she had to work with him but she always thought he might have something for her. Some respect.

"Why respect? You're not worth it." Yumiko said aloud and sighed as she made her way over to the kitchen to make the tea.

'And who told you that? You know you shouldn't listen to yourself. You're not a reliable source.' Yumie' voice called out to her and as expected, the daily argument begin with four simple words.

'Oh? And you are?' Yumiko thought back to her, a smile on her face again and making her feel a little better.


	2. Denial

~Chapter 2: Denial~

"Unavares!" Heinkel' voice made Yumiko jump, along with the large slap that followed on her backside.

"Oh! Heinkel!" Yumiko swatted angrily at Heinkel' arm, feeling slightly better when Heinkel clutched at the spot.

"It vas your own fault! You vere off daydreaming and didn't even hear me call you. Dumb Frick." Heinkel leaned against the counter and grabbed the cigarette and lighter from her top pocket.

"You really need to work on your manners more," Yumiko snatched the cigarette from Heinkel' mouth before the priest had a chance to light it, "you ARE a priest."

"Ja, it doesn't say anything in the bible about smoking. So you've seen Maxwell then? How is ze girly looking boy?"

"HEINKEL." Yumiko just turned around and glared at her, the kettle almost done boiling.

"Vhat? He looks like a girl and he's hardly a man-Ow!" Heinkel had managed to dodge the first hit that came her way, but didn't expect the quick retaliation of the tray on her head.

"YOU are just a whole lot of trouble. No surprise no one else can handle you. You molest any of the other sister' and even harass the younger priest'. I'm surprised we haven't kicked you out already."

"Awww, you don't mean that," Heinkel rested her chin on Yumiko' shoulder as she gazed over at her neatly lining the tray with a variety of biscuits, "und even if you do, you know very well nothing would be the same around here without me. Spoiling him a little much aren't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Yumiko just stuck out her chin, ignoring Heinkel as she placed the cup, sauce and spoon neatly on the tray, the tea in a small bowl too.

"Oh really? Biscuits und his favourite tea on und ze best cutlery?"

"He hasn't been here in a while. Besides he deserves the best."

"Oh?" Heinkel pulled away as Yumiko gripped the tray and began walking away with it, "and I suppose that the chamomile tea you bought especially for him is just there and you've not told him-"

"Drop it Heinkel or I'm burning all the pornography under your bed." Yumiko nudged the swing door with her hip and walked out into the hallway, quickly followed by a very pale Heinkel.

"How'd you know about that?! That...it's a friends! I confiscated it!...Don't tell Anderson."


	3. Beneath the milky twilight

~Chapter 3: Beneath the milky twilight~

"Father Maxwell?" Yumiko called out from the doorway, her head turned sideways as she gazed at Maxwell' figure huddled over the desk, scratching away with a pen at some documents.

"Oh...Yumiko...I-"

"Oh! I knocked! You...didn't hear me," She giggled nervously and raised the tray slightly, "I bring gifts of tea and biscuits."

"The-Oh...oh yes. Bring it here." Maxwell tried to get on with his work, his eyes not looking up as she carefully placed the tray down.

"I got you the selection biscuits, but beware," Yumiko pointed her thumb behind her, "Heinkel WILL be coming in soon, so I'd hide the best ones for yourself."

Although he didn't look up at her, he still smiled at her thoughtfulness.

"Thank you Yumiko."

"No problem. I'll...I'll be outside if you need me. The kids they...they wanted to go and read in the library and I said I would keep an eye on them." She walked away slowly, an unsure smile on her face.

"Very good. I may join you later. I might have too much work to do though." Maxwell still didn't look up but felt compelled to say something else, something he'd probably regret.

"Yes, good, well...maybe. Goodbye Father." Yumiko stepped outside, just being overtaken by Heinkel.

"Is he on his period again?" Heinkel whispered quietly in Yumiko' ear.

"Be-HAVE." Yumiko whispered back harshly and stepped away down the hall, Heinkel chuckling as she saw her stomp away her anger.

"Hallo Maxxy."

"Urg. Hello Father Wolfe. We've been through this plenty of times to -no" Maxwell slapped the hand away as it conspicuously reached for a chocolate biscuit when she thought he wasn't looking, "-please refer to me as Father Maxwell."

"Naw! But Yumiko gets to call you Maxwell. I thought I could call you Maxxy! What about Ricky?" Heinkel pouted and leaned at the front of his desk, watching him as he just sighed and carried on working.

"Heinkel, not to sound rude, but what do you want?"

"I...I need a health and safety check list," Heinkel watched Maxwell, provoking him to get a response, "the kids vanted to go into the old tree house and I thought I could fix it up for them."

Heinkel noted down Maxwell' hand still and stop writing, before he scratched away furiously at the paper.

"Out of the question. That place should be torn down."

"No. I don't think so. That place would be very good for the children to have fun-" Heinkel didn't like to be interrupted and she clenched her teeth when Maxwell done it.

"Well it doesn't matter what you think, all that matters is what I say. I'll have someone come in soon to tear it down." He bit out and carried on writing.

"You can tear it down, but you'll have to do so vith me and the kids inside."

Maxwell sighed and rubbed his forehead, before he eventually looked at her with a phony smile.

"If it means that much to you, we can rebuild another one, a better one."

"Vhy not just keep this one and spruce it up?"

"HEINKEL! DROP IT!" Maxwell slammed his fists on his table, a vein popping in his forehead when he felt her pushing.

"Drop vhat? You never did explain to me what happened-"

"Heinkel! This is your last warning! Drop. It." Maxwell had stood up, getting eye to eye with Heinkel and looking ready to throttle her.

"...Fine." She said calmly and turned away, walking towards the door.

Maxwell just sat back down in his seat, counting to five in his head.

"I still vant that health and safety form," Heinkel turned around just as she opened the door, "and it doesn't take a genius Vater Maxwell. Yumie still remembers."

Maxwell looked at her wide-eyed and taken aback.

"Wha-what did she-"  
"Nothing. She said nothing und made an excuse for you. But I figured it out myself. And I won't half to tell her. Yumiko will remember herself one day. Then you can't block her and the secrets out any more." And with a simple nod of the head, Heinkel exited the room and left Maxwell there, stewing in his own guilt and shame and his mind playing back memories he'd thought he'd long killed and buried under his stubborn willpower.

Meanwhile...

'Yumie...do you remember?' Yumiko picked up a stray book in her hand and wiped the cover.

'Remember what?...Oh...no...not really.' Yumie obviously got an image of the book in their mind.

'Really? I do. I remember we all had such fun. I used to read this to us three in that tree house. I wandered why you never liked it-'

'Because I told you. I fell off the ladder and it's dangerous up there. We don't go back and it was stupid anyway...I'm going to sleep.'

Yumiko knew when Yumie was shut off. It was like a door slamming in her mind and she just sighed heavily and gripped the book to her chest.


	4. Down at the crocodiles lair

~Chapter 4: Down by the crocodiles lair~

"FAAAAAAAAAAAAATHER!" Yumiko screamed as loud as she could, dashing towards the tall man at formidable speed.

"Woah, easy now!" Alex chuckled and caught Yumiko before she barrelled into him, lifting her up and holding her easily against him, "what's all this in aid of?"

The young girl, no older than 11, pouted and pointed her finger accusingly at a young child approaching them.

"Ah, Heinkel."

"Vas? She tell on me again? Honestly! I svear I don't know how those worms got in this evening' lunch. Or where Yumie' panties are," Heinkel put her hands in her pockets and looked innocent for a few seconds, before Anderson' burning gaze made her look at the floor, "...I'll go apologise and grab them."

"Good." Alex just shook his head laughing before letting Yumiko slip down out of his arms, the young girl dashing off after Heinkel but being stopped as another lad appeared around the corner.

"Hello Ricky!" Yumiko bounced on her heels and held her hands behind her back.

"It's Enrico Yumiko. Enrico." The young lad just glared at her and shook his head, about to walk off again, only being stopped by the girl grabbing his arm.

"Come, come, come! Me and Heinkel finished the tree house!"

"And I would care, why?" Enrico just looked at her and then back at the hand on his arm.

"Because you know deep down you want to see it."

"No I really don't." Enrico tugged his arm free and turned away from her.

"Oh well. Guess that means me and Heinkel will have to eat all the biscuits ourselves." Yumiko put her hands on her hips and sighed loudly, as if the chore sounded impossible.

Maxwell froze for a second before turning his head slightly to look at her.

"...What type of biscuits?"

"Heinkel nicked mother superior' selection box." Yumiko smiled at him and Maxwell couldn't help but blush.

"Well...I suppose-" He was cut off as she grabbed hold of his hand and pulled him with her.

"Come on! Before the old bat finds out what we done!"

Father Anderson sighed happily as he observed Maxwell willingly allowing Yumiko to pull him along, blushing furiously as Yumiko giggled happily and skipped down the hallway, leading him to the garden.

~Four years later~

"How doth the little crocodile

Improve his shining tail,

And pour the waters of the Nile

On every golden scale!

How cheerfully he seems to grin,

How neatly spreads his claws,

And welcomes little fishes in

With-"

"With gently smiling jaws. Ja, ja, ja, ve know!" Heinkel just shook her head and removed another card from her hand, placing it face down on the floor.

"No offence Yumiko, but don't you have any better material?" Maxwell quickly looked at her with an evil smile, munching on another biscuit and making sure Heinkel couldn't see his great hand.

"This is my FAVOURITE book. And you have to admit, it is good." Yumiko sat cross legged with the big book in her lap, the illustrated pages catching her attention and she ran her fingers over the dusky pictures.

"Mmm, I suppose so, but I-AHA! Four queens und three aces!" Heinkel pulled out the last card and scattered the others on the floor, flipping them over to reveal their true selves.

"What?!" Maxwell looked over his cards, disgusted at the correctness, "You...you cheated!"

"Germans, NEVER cheat!" Heinkel placed her hands on her hips and looked on victorious.

"No, you just know how to start wars." Maxwell threw down his cards and glared at her.

"Vas?! You want to fight! Have at thee!" Heinkel flew forward and was just about to land on Maxwell, but was jolted back at the last second by Yumiko' hand pulling at the corner of her shirt.

"NO. FIGHTING. You two both know the rules. If Father Anderson hears us, we get kicked out." She stood above Heinkel, looking sternly at them both.

"The thing started it." Maxwell said, munching on another biscuit.

"Thing?! Why you fuc-"

"Heinkel!" Yumiko slapped Heinkel around the head, "act more feminine! You're going to be a nun one day!"

"Hah! Me?! A nun!" Heinkel rolled about on the floor and laughed so hard, she clutched at her stomach, "Oh my god! No vay! I'm gonna' be just like Anderson!"

"Catholic woman can't be priests. But...you are right on that. I can't see you as a nun." Maxwell sat back, relaxing on his elbows.

"Ja. Any way, I suppose it's for the best really. I mean, can you imagine me in a penguin suit? Now you Yumiko...you would suit a skirt like this one nicely." Heinkel grabbed the hem of Heinkel' skirt and flicked it up, Yumiko squealing loudly as the two on the floor got a good view of her pink bloomers.

"Oh! Heinkel!" She screeched like a banchi and turned to give Heinkel another slap. Unfortunately, she still wasn't used to the new rugs and as her foot twisted, it got caught up and she fell backwards.

"Yumiko!" Maxwell' voice called out from behind her and everything happened so fast.

Yumiko had expected to land on a hard bit of floor, but instead, was stopped halfway and landed with a soft bump. When she opened her closed eyes, she gazed up into Maxwell', flushing furiously at the realisation what they were doing.

When Maxwell had caught Yumiko, his arm had gotten stuck and when she jolted her head at the slight impact, he slipped down and their lips had just fallen against each other.

Both stayed very still for a couple of seconds, just staring at each other as if expecting the other to do something.

It wasn't until they heard the small snort of Heinkel did they pull apart violently and turn towards her.

"HEINKEL!" Both yelled at her, instantly placing blame on her.

"Oh gott...you both look like beetroo-HEY! VHAT DID I DO?!" Heinkel went from chuckling to looking very shocked in three seconds.

After a severe shouting match and Yumiko and Maxwell hitting Heinkel with pillows, they were called in for supper and all three left separately, Maxwell looking back at Yumiko all the time and touching his lips with his fingertips, remembering how sweet she tasted for those few seconds.


	5. Testing times

~Chapter 5: testing times~

Yumiko was sitting quietly in the library. Her copy of Jane Eyre open on her lap as she read away.

'Oh...oh I do love these books don't you Yumie?...Yumie?' Yumiko called out into her mind, searching for her sister. What she got was the image of her sister' 'room' and on the door a note that said: 'Am asleep. Go away.'

"Oh sis." Yumiko chuckled playfully, turning another page and wondering when her sister would wake up.

It was only when she was thinking about that, did she realise this could be her opportunity. Whenever she wanted to find out something from Yumie (usually concerning her and Heinkel) she'd wait till her sister was asleep, then she'd go inside herself and find something.

She closed her eyes and quietly sunk into her deep state, quickly letting the blackness engulf her as she allowed the memories to take over.

She remembered her family and the cult. That's not what she wanted.

She remembered first arriving at the orphanage and meeting Heinkel and Maxwell and Anderson. Close, but not what she wanted.

She remembered tripping up and into the fountain in the garden', Heinkel laughing at her because she could see her panties. Definitely not what she wanted.

She remembered the tree house.

'Yumiko!' Yumie' voice suddenly called from afar, edgy and full of warning.

She knew she was on the right track. She saw the card games and the biscuits and book readings and the beatings of Heinkel.

'Yumiko! Where are you?!'

Nearly there. She could feel something approaching. In her mind, she stood in the middle of the tree house, waiting for something to happen. She turned her back towards the door, an uneasy and familiar feeling spreading over her.

'YUMIKO!'

Suddenly, as if phantom hands had her, a force propelled her forward and she was thrown face first into the bookshelf. She shut her eyes and the memory faded away, but the pain and fear remained.

'YUMIKO! YUMIKO, WAKE UP!' Yumie called out, approaching her sister in the darkness.

Yumiko couldn't feel anything but this horrible pain and fear, her memories collapsing around her.

'What...what is this...what happened?!' Yumiko called out in her mind, her hands at her head as she tried to fight the pain.

"YUMIKO!" Heinkel called out and caught her friend just in time as Yumiko fell off her seat, her body running wildly with tremors.

"GET SOMEONE! SHE'S FITTING! YUMIKO! YUMIKO!" Heinkel held her friend' body close to hers, trying to help as her friend' body screamed and wriggled about desperately.

Yumiko, at the same time, was being held by Yumie, the suffocating blackness choking her, trying to make her mind cave in around her.

Later that night...

Maxwell couldn't take it. He sat on his chair by his desk, the pen not writing anything in his hand. Ever since he'd heard of Yumiko' fit earlier, he hadn't been able to think clearly anyway, his work all muddled and hardly legible.

Finally succumbing to his inner self pity, he sunk low in his chair, his head in his hands as he willed himself not to remember.

What he could never know was that at the same time he recalled what he had longed to forget, Yumiko was dreaming of the same memory, the one she'd been searching for.

~a few years ago~

After Royally beating Heinkel with pillows and escaping whatever uncomfortable formalities they would have had to put to each other, Yumiko and Maxwell kept their distance for the rest of the evening, uncomfortable and quick glances to one another, followed by bouts of serious blushing and choking on whatever substance they happened to be consuming.

Eventually, late evening came and when all the children where either meant to be asleep, studying or behaving themselves inside the orphanage, Maxwell done something he'd never done before. He snuck out into the garden' after hours, slyly slithering past the night monitors and making his way outside and towards the tree house.

For well over an hour, he set about the task of drowning himself in his sorrows and self disgust, along with the bottle of communion wine that Heinkel had managed to steal and sneak out. She'd tried to get the three of them to drink it together, Yumiko only pulling a face and Maxwell discarding the liquid immediately. But now, he drank and glugged down big mouthfuls of the stuff, feeling much better the closer he got to the bottom.

"I was wondering what you were doing here." A small voice caught his attention and he didn't bother to look up, she the exact reason he was there.

"What can...do you want Yumiko?" Maxwell slurred, his eyes feeling slightly heavy.

Yumiko slowly stepped toward him, standing over his knelt position.

"I followed you. I didn't want you to get into trouble, so I told Heinkel to cover for us." Yumiko looked down at him, tucking her long hair behind her ears.

"You...you shouldn't of. There was no point." Maxwell hiccuped and raised his head a little, only able to focus on that whoever was talking to him had legs and wore a skirt.

"Oh...if you want, I can leave." Yumiko turned around and stepped forward, only to plonk her foot on the floor as something held her back. She looked over her shoulder, and sure enough, Maxwell was clinging to the hem of her skirt.

"I...I...can't." Maxwell seemed to be losing something inside of him, his lack of wordy wisdom not helping.

Yumiko turned back around and offered her hand out to him, a friendly smile on her face.

"I won't leave you, not if you don't want me to."

Maxwell looked up at her face and saw a sweet, angel before him. He took the hand and pulled himself up, surprised at well he could balance as he straightened up.

"Yumiko." He whispered as he clasped tightly onto her hand, not daring to let go.

Yumiko' breath quickened as Maxwell stepped forward.

"Earlier...no Heinkel now." Maxwell managed to get out before he pressed his lips against hers, his mouth demanding as he hungrily took her.

Yumiko just blushed furiously, enjoying the moment of the kiss. She'd always liked Maxwell, but due to circumstances, had never been able to voice them. His hands crept up onto her upper arms and squeezed tightly, Yumiko pulling back slightly for air.

"En-Enrico," she didn't realise she'd called him by his first name until it slipped off her tongue, "we...we need to get back."

"No. I want to know what it's like. I want you." Maxwell kissed her again, Yumiko turning her head away unwillingly as he kissed down her neck and began to suckle at a spot of her tender skin eagerly.

"No. Enrico. I said no. Stop!" Yumiko' mind began getting flashing images of her past and she struggled in fear, pushing Maxwell away.

As she made a run for the small hatch in the floor, Maxwell grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. She tripped over the same bit of carpet as earlier and went flying past Maxwell, and straight into the makeshift bookcase that the three of them had built together. Her face collided into a shelf which collapsed at the sudden assault and she fell to the floor, her lip cut and bleeding, her cheek reddening and a large gash on top of her brow on her forehead.

"Yumiko." Maxwell whispered into the darkness, all his elegance and front gone as he looked at her, his eyes glazed over with hunger and the alcohol he'd had.

"No." Yumiko whimpered and tried to crawl away, desperately scuttling on all fours as she tried to get up and towards the hatch again. She didn't expect the punch in the gut from Maxwell. She keeled back over onto the floor, Maxwell meaning to grab her and keep her from going, not even knowing he'd hurt her again. As Yumiko clutched at her stomach, Maxwell knelt beside her, taking advantage.

"Yumiko. Sweet Yumiko." Maxwell' normally rational mind was riddled with alcohol and thinking this was nothing more than a sweet dream.

"Enrico. Please. Enrico, no!" Yumiko tried to crawl backwards, but Maxwell' hand grabbed at the hem of her skirt again and she could only watch, tears pouring down her cheeks as she tried to get him back to his normal state of mind.

Maxwell felt her legs beneath her skirt and remembered earlier on when he'd caught sight of her undergarments. He grabbed the fabric in two places and pulled with all the strength he had.

"NO! NO! STOP!" Yumiko screamed as loud as she could, Maxwell now ripping her fabric upwards, exposing more and more of her as he went.

"Shhh," he whispered, her voice hurting his head, "I just want to see."

Yumiko stilled when his hand pressed on her stomach, his grip hurting her a little. She closed her eyes and knew there was only one way out. She went into the darkness and let it slip over her as she allowed her twin to take over.

"That's better. So much better. Oh my dear sweet Yumiko." Maxwell' hands ran over her chest and up to her neck as he leant over, intent on kissing her again. As his eyes closed, Yumiko' opened, the blood red glowing in the moonlight from the window as she glared at him.

A sickening thud of Yumie' fist colliding with his face, and then a rib breaking kick to his gut sent Maxwell off of her and flying backwards, before he crashed onto the floor, his hands clutching his nose.

"Never. NEVER TOUCH ME AGAIN." Yumie sat up and hissed, her tongue licking up the blood from the corner of her lip.

Maxwell could only look at her in shock, this being the twin he'd been warned about so many times.

"Come near Yumiko whilst I'm asleep again," Yumie stood up and looked down at him, "I WILL, kill you."

Maxwell could only watch as Yumie turned and climbed down the ladder below the hatch, not once looking back at him as he lay there, beaten and disgusted with himself more so, curled into a ball as he rocked back and forth on the floor.

~The present~

"Oh...oh Yumiko." Gentle tears fell down Maxwell' face as he allowed the feelings of shame to wash over him, his hands supporting his head as he sobbed loudly in his office, alone and unloved as he felt. When the only thing he'd ever wanted, the only person he'd ever craved to be close to was hurt because of him and something terrible he'd done.


	6. Redemption

~Chapter 6: redemption~

Yumiko opened her eyes and adjusted herself back to the real world.

When ones memories come flooding back in an instant, like nothing more than a dream, you can't help but feel drained. Yumiko just felt like she'd had to fall asleep in a small drawer.

'So that's what happened.' She spoke to the one person who she knew would listen and answer her.

'I made you forget. I didn't want you to remember that. Not after everything.' Yumie whispered sadly, her melancholy tones echoing around their mind.

'They were not just your memories Yumie. They were mine. I had a right to them.'

'I was...I just wanted to protect you. You're my sister.' Yumie enveloped Yumiko with wonderful feelings of love and warmth, Yumiko accepting happily.

'I know. I know. And now I remember...it will be ok.'

"Earth to Yumiko? Are you awake or brain dead?" Heinkel' voice called out beside her and Yumiko slowly turned her head and gave her friend a warm smile.

"Just talking with Yumie about something important."

Heinkel looked at her for a long while, before eventually turning her head away.

"About Maxwell?"

Heinkel looked back to Yumiko as the nun gave a small nod.

"She...she told you then?"

Yumiko looked taken aback for a second.

"You knew?"

Heinkel sighed and rolled a cigarette as she explained.

"That night...when Yumie came back to our room...I saw everything. She didn't....she told me it had been an accident but I knew she'd followed Maxwell. She made me swear never to tell you as she'd lie. She told me that she'd buried the memory und...und that you'd never believe me."

Yumiko looked sadly at her friend before reaching her hand out and gently placing it on the priest'.

"You're my closest friend next to Yumie. I would believe anything you tell me."

The beautiful truth and sincerity in Yumie' voice almost moved Heinkel to tears.

"Vell...not everything," she sniffed and tried to regain her dignity and toughness, "you didn't believe me when I said it was laundry day und you didn't give me your clothes."

"That was all I had on," Yumiko just rolled her eyes and chuckled, "silly priesty."

"I suppose you feel better?" Heinkel smiled at Yumiko and straightened herself up.

"Yeah...and even if I didn't, I still need to get up. There's...something I need to do." Yumiko sat herself up and stretched, a satisfying click sounding from her spine.

"You mean someone you need to talk to." Heinkel just sighed and held out her hand for her friend.

Yumiko looked up at Heinkel and remembered all the troubles they'd gone through, all the missions they'd been on and all the times they'd been together when one needed the other the most.

"You know me too well. Damned pervert."


	7. Forgiveness

~Hellsing: Ruling~

~Maxwell x Yumie/Yumiko~

~Chapter 7: Forgiveness~

Maxwell sat in the darkness, his soul feeling as if it was one with the melancholy and dreadful state of the tree house. Years of neglect and loneliness had left it a wreck, no one having returned or discovered since that awful night.

He sat on the floor, clutching a copy of 'Alice in Wonderland' which Yumiko had brought but never taken back.

His fingers caressed the cover and he opened the pages to find what he was looking for. He smiled at the meeting between Alice and the Caterpillar and began to recite.

"How doth the little crocodile

Improve his shining tail,

And pour the waters of the Nile,

On every golden scale!

How cheerfully he seems to grin,

How neatly spreads his claws,

And welcomes little fishes in-"

"With gently smiling jaws."

Maxwell leaped in his spot and snapped the book shut, the voice he heard something he hadn't came close to expecting.

Yumiko stepped forward from the shadows, her hands clasped in front of her and her hair free of the habit.

"Sister Yumiko," Maxwell quickly stood up, standing tall in front of her and dropping the book, "you...I was just-"

"I know." She said with a small smile on her face, a hint of sadness in her voice as she approached him.

"Know?" Maxwell looked at her for a second, the way she said it letting on more than she actually remembered. He then realised exactly what she knew.

"I...I'm so sorry," he looked at her with big eyes, his body feeling quite heavy all of a sudden, "sister Yumiko, I'm so sorry. I didn't know...I was young and drunk and...I was so stupid."

Yumiko watched as Maxwell sunk to his knees before her, praying for forgiveness, his head hung low and his voice whimpering in self pity. She reached out a hand and sunk down to her knees also, holding his face in her hands.

"I forgive you. I forgave you as soon as I realised what you had done." Yumiko smiled warmly at him, his cheeks stained with his tears as he looked at her, ready to cry more.

"But...you...Yumie...hates me. Always." He whimpered and attempted to look away,

"Yumie doesn't actually hate you. I feel her feelings...it's not hate. It's stronger. It's regret. She wanted...she wanted to do something but was afraid to do it. So I'm going to be the one to step forward...I forgive you."

Maxwell gasped as she drew closer and embraced him, his face held close to her heart as she kissed his head.

"Your one of my friends. I love you. I can't hate you." She cried and rocked them back and forth, her hands stroking Maxwell tenderly on the back.

He didn't know what to say. He just sat there and cried, happy tears devouring him and for the first time, his soul felt at peace in the arms of the person he cared for the most.

"Come," Yumiko pulled back and gently took his hand in hers, smiling at him warmly, "let's not dwell in the past. We have to go and find Heinkel and make her give back all the panties she stole from me. Oh, and the gold pens she nicked from your office."

Maxwell looked slightly taken aback by her calm statement, until his brain clicked.

"I was wondering what happened to all my pens!"

Yumiko turned around and laughed happily, her hand warm against Maxwell' as she led him down the tree house and towards the orphanage, both looking forward to the night and day ahead of them.


End file.
